Cousin Casey (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Sean Tarry’s five entries in the Betway Summer Cup are Cousin Casey, Bless My Stars, Litigation, Nebraas and Future Pearl, but Cousin Casey is the most interesting of them having been talked about as a superstar at this time a year ago.
He is yet to have a run for Tarry, and the latter said, “He’s fine. I don’t think he has ever done much wrong. He has just had the one bad run (when tried in blinkers), but he has otherwise got a good record. The Summer Cup might come a bit soon for him, but I’m considering giving him a run in the (Allied Steelrode-Onamission) Charity Mile (October 28). We will see how he goes.”
Tarry is deciding between the Charity Mile and the Betway Victory Moon Stakes (November 4) as the preparation for all of his Summer Cup runners.
Cousin Casey can be regarded as the forgotten horse of South African racing and a closer look at his form makes his Betway Summer Cup odds with the sponsor look generous.
After sweeping all before him in Durban as a two-year-old he was touted as a future Hollywoodbets Durban July winner. Last time out in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge he was tried with blinkers and over raced, so a line can be drawn through that last place effort. In his previous start in the Gr 1 Daily News he was bumped just as he was about to begin his run and was hampered again after that. Yet he was only beaten 2,30 lengths by See It Again at level weights. So despite the interference he performed better against See It Again than Winchester Mansion did in the Hollywoodbets Durban July as the latter was 5,5kg better off than weight for age with See It Again in the big race and only prevailed by 0,30 lengths.
Yet Cousin Casey is out at 14/1 for the Summer Cup, while Winchester Mansion is 4/1.
However, Cousin Casey will have to bounce back and show his well being in his build up to the Summer Cup.
There will also be a question about his suitability to the long-straighted Turffontein Standside track considering his love for the tight Hollywoodbets Greyville track as a youngster, where he displayed a fine turn of foot.
He has the right trainer because Tarry has won the Summer Cup five times, including four of the last six renewals.
